United or Divided? The politics of Belgian football ft Scott Coyne
Listen now
Description
Belgium is known for its waffles, chocolates and beer. And arguably for its football. But what can the beautiful game tell us about the politics and history of the country?  Co-hosts Guy (himself a Brussel resident) and Francesco  talk to Scott Coyne, Mechelen fan and co-host of the Belgian Football Podcast, the world's premier English language show on the game there. Scott provides insight on how football first arrived in Belgium, who the big clubs are and the extent to which past economic developments and the Flemish-French linguistic divide have played out in terms of rivalries. He also explains how tensions have been dampened down around the national football team, Belgium's place in the European football hierarchy and the role that its youth development and academies play in relation to this.
More Episodes
Ukraine is a country with a long and rich football tradition. Yet football, like all aspects of life, have been deeply affected by the Russian aggression against the country. In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco talk to Olga Ruzhelnyk, a Ukrainian researcher at the Institut des sciences...
Published 06/10/24
Published 06/10/24
Football clubs often represents different identities: local, political, ethnic and sectarian. Deportivo Palestino, a football club in Chile, is distinct in the way its representation of Palestinian identity. In this episode, co-hosts Guy and Francesco speak to Siri Schwabe, associate professor of...
Published 06/03/24